1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates generally to the field of brushes. In general, the brush assembly may be useful for cleaning, abrading, scraping, cutting or removing debris from any surface, including wooden, metal or ceramic surfaces. The invention may also be used to shape, texturize or otherwise prepare a surface.
2. Description of the Related Technology
The adequate sterilization of grated cooking surfaces, such as grills and ovens, is essential to proper food preparation and maintaining one's health and well-being. Ideally, cooking surfaces should be regularly cleaned before and after usage to remove any food particles or debris that may propagate bacteria or other contaminants. Regular cleaning can also prolong the lifespan of cooking surfaces and kitchen appliances.
Brush assemblies having wire bristles are common, as are brushes designed for cleaning grated surfaces. These conventional brushes, however, provide minimal abrasive surfaces, lack durability, typically are difficult to clean, and provide inadequate cleaning capabilities. Conventional brushes are ineffective in part because they are poorly designed. Typically, these brushes include a plurality of bristles that have a limited working surface, i.e. the bristle tip. The smooth elongated shaft, which comprises the majority of the bristle, by contrast has no abrasive structure. Furthermore, because the force applied to a brush is concentrated at the bristle tips, conventional brushes tend to scratch delicate surfaces in the course of cleaning.
Conventional bristles also lack durability. Bristle tips lack resilience and quickly become permanently deformed with repeated wear and upon the accumulation of debris on and between the bristles. Because of its inelastic properties, conventional bristles may be subject to fracture. Consequently, pieces of the bristles may separate from the brush and contaminate food or food preparation surfaces. Conventional brushes therefore have a very limited life expectancy.
Additionally, conventional brushes typically have a number of crevices and tightly packed bristles which are difficult to clean. This tight packed design promotes the accumulation of debris between bristles and in crevices, which is unsanitary, propagates bacteria and further contributes to brush degradation. Notably, these brushes do not include openings at the base of the brush or other means to enable debris removal. Conventional brushes, therefore, frequently need to be replaced after only a few uses.
Moreover, conventional brushes are generally ineffective in removing debris from grated surfaces. The inelastic deformable cylindrical bristles or soft sponge material of conventional brushes are inadequately designed to efficiently and effectively clean between and around grate bars. Consequently, these brushes are difficult to use and are inadequate for sanitizing grated cooking surfaces.
A need exists for an improved brush assembly and method of use to enable effective cleaning of grated surfaces, particularly grated cooking surfaces. To address the above concerns, the novel brush assembly of the present invention is designed for efficient, effective and effortless cleaning. Furthermore, it has a unique ergonomic design that facilitates use and is further durable, dishwasher safe and inexpensive to manufacture.